Chapter Text
It was one of those days.
Nicole didn't feel like school, she didn't feel like friends, she didn't feel like human interaction.
Although, those days were everyday recently.
School was dragging. Nicole was almost positive she wasn't going to graduate and frankly, she didn't care.
What did she have going for her? She already got kicked off of the basketball team. That was her one way ticket to college. All her parents did was argue and complain about how she's not doing this and she needs to do that. Her father barely made it home every night due to whatever woman he'd found in a bar or at work. Her mother acted like she didn't care. Like she didn't know what he was doing and all of his lies about having to stay late at the office were believable.
Her home was breaking more and more each day. Nicole couldn't stand being there.
She'd lost all her friends at school except for maybe a few. The ones she did hangout with and make an effort to see, just wanted to party or get high all the time.
Which led Nicole here, in Wynonna Earps living room, rolling a blunt.
Nicole hated blunts. Not for the reason most people do. She loved smoking weed. Forgetting all of her problems with each hit probably wasn't the best coping mechanism, but it worked. Even if it was temporary.
She hated the taste of the tobacco leaf. It was different than cigarettes, stronger. Sometimes her throat would burn if she took too big of a hit and it left a nasty taste in her mouth. She'd rather smoke a joint.
Wynonna loved them, though. She was the only one Nicole didn't mind smoking with. She didn't trip shit or get paranoid at the sound of sirens in the distance. She was relaxed and calm — when she didn't want to do something reckless like steal a car or break into some abandoned building on the outskirts of Purgatory. But sometimes reckless was good. It kept Nicole sane, doing something most people wouldn't.
She had nothing going for her.
"What class are you skipping?"
Nicole shrugged. "Clooties stupid Latin class."
She heard Wynonna snort before the flick of a lighter sounded through the room and smoke was escaping her lungs.
The first hit is always the best. You hardly feel anything at first, which is what makes it so satisfying to some people.
Nicole gratefully accepted the blunt, taking a few hits before passing it back.
This was their routine. They'd skip class, sometimes even the whole day, smoke and then return to school if they felt like it. Latin was Nicole's last class of the day and she'd been dreading going to it since this morning. So, when Wynonna asked if she had anything, Nicole took the opportunity to not attend the stupid class and go to the Earps instead. Gus was hardly ever home anymore. Wynonna and Waverly basically lived on their own.
Waverly tried her best to keep Wynonna on the good side of life, not letting her fall into the crowd of drop outs and misfits before she even had a chance to get her life together. And as much as Wynonna cared about what Waverly thought and said, she didn't care about her own life.
Which, is what made her and Nicole such good friends.
"How much have you made this week?"
Nicole pulled the wad of cash out of her pocket and handed it to Wynonna. She'd been selling for a while but the money had never been as good as it is now. Most of it was just seniors trying to get something to ease the stress on their backs from trying to graduate. Or the parties.
Never before had Nicole thought about selling drugs at a party. It didn't even click in her mind until she overheard someone at school talking about needing a supplier for a big party they'd be throwing that weekend. It was the perfect opportunity and Nicole jumped on the chance to take it.
"Dude, there's almost a thousand grand here." Wynonna sounded incredulous.
Nicole shrugged. "Yeah. That's just from this week. I'm hoping someone will need some this weekend."
She never thought about what she'd do with the cash. Maybe, get a car or a one way ticket out of town after graduation — if she even attended graduation.
"Let me sell for you." Wynonna offered. "Henry has friends that smoke, maybe I can get some of them to buy some. Or if you have anything stronger.." She trailed off.
Nicole laughed. "What highschool student needs something stronger?"
"They're in college." Wynonna pointed out. "Besides, do you know how much you'd be making if you widened your supply? Dude, dabs or shrooms would sell like candy."
The words she was saying we're convincing. Especially if Nicole did want to leave Purgatory. But what would she do outside of this shitty town?
And if either one of them had been paying attention, they would've heard the car pull into the driveway, the engine cutting, paired with a slam of the car door. But they weren't paying attention. Nicole was too entranced in the thoughts running through her head to even notice the keys jiggling into the lock and the front door opening.
Wynonna noticed, though. It was such a familiar sound by now, she couldn't miss it if she tried.
If it would've been a few months ago, both girls probably would've panicked upon Waverly's surprise homecoming. At this point, neither of them cared. Wynonna would hear whatever argument Waverly had to offer for the rest of the day and after that, it would be long forgotten.
Nicole never had to deal with it. She'd give Wynonna a bag or two and be on her way while Waverly glared at her as she walked past.
"Why am I not surprised you're here?" Waverly crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway. She looked beautiful in simple clothes, different from her cheerleading uniform. Nicole's stomach did a flip.
"When am I not here?" Nicole shrugged. She handed the blunt to Wynonna. "Keep it. I can get more."
Waverly rolled her eyes at the interaction as Nicole stood up, gathering her things and shoving all of it into her hoodie pocket.
"Do you two ever think about your future? Or the fact that maybe you shouldn't be skipping class just to smoke?" She tried.
Nicole snorted. "You look good today. I like this better than the uniform." She didn't miss the blush that spread across Waverly's face as Nicole walked past her.
"Dude, gross. That's my sister." Wynonna groaned.
"I'll see you guys around." Nicole smirked, turning the doorknob without a second thought.
——
Nicole hated visiting the office. She already knew what was coming and what would be said, what was the point in attending?
But Principal Lucado was adamant on her showing up. Mainly because if she didn't, she'd get detention and Nicole didn't want to spend another second in this school that she didn't have to.
The familiar smell of the office filled Nicole's senses. She hated it. It reminded her of her grandmother's house. It smelled of old people. Whoever thought it was appealing was wrong.
The chairs were uncomfortable. It was hot compared to outside and Nicole was sweating. She was sure she'd die of a heatstroke if Lucado didn't walk in when she did.
"Nicole Haught." She greeted.
"Lucado."
The blonde dropped a file onto her desk. Nicole knew what was in it. Dozens of absences, tardies, bad grades. A failed basketball career.
"I'd like to have a chat with you." She smiled. Nicole knew it was fake.
"Chat away."
Lucado opened up the file, skimming through it. Nicole knew she didn't have to, it was just for appearance. Everyone knew her record by now. None of it was secret.
"I noticed something about you." She clasped her hands together. "After you got kicked off the team, you stopped showing up to school. Before that, you had straight A's, perfect attendence. We didn't have any problems with you."
"I guess." Nicole shrugged.
"You got yourself kicked off, Nicole. Now, you're not showing up to class, you're getting in fights, you're setting a bad reputation for yourself."
Nicole rolled her eyes. The amount of times she's heard these exact words was unbelievable at this point.
"Your grades are falling and if you don't get them back up to at least a C, you're not going to graduate." She informed her. "I'll have no option but to hold you back another year."
"That's funny."
Lucado quirked an eyebrow. "What is?"
"That you think I'd show up for another year if I fail this one." Nicole chuckled. "Is that all?"
"Nicole-"
"Are we done?" She questioned again.
"We're done."
"Great." Nicole smiled tight lipped while getting up. "Have a good day, Ms. Lucado."
——
It was like clockwork.
Nicole passed the blunt to Wynonna as she counted out a few bags and bills.
The only thing that was different this time was that Waverly was there. She wasn't complaining or giving either of them the third degree about what smoking does to your body. She was quietly doing her homework at the table in the dining room.
"Lucado says I'm gonna fail." Nicole hit the blunt again.
"So?"
"So," Nicole started. "I can't fail."
"I thought you didn't care about school?" Wynonna quirked an eyebrow.
"I care about what my parents will say when they find out I'm not graduating. You think they'd kill me for skipping, you have no idea what my dad would do if I don't walk across that stage this spring."
Wynonna coughed. "Dude, we could just run away together."
Nicole laughed. "Yeah, right."
"Why don't you get tutor?" Waverly's voice through the room. She was standing in the doorway now. "And would you guys please open a window? That stuff stinks."
Nicole smirked and pointed to the window. "You're right there."
Waverly scoffed but opened the window anyway.
"Besides, I don't have anyone to tutor me. I can't exactly afford one."
"Oh. So, selling drugs isn't a good source of income?" Waverly joked. Nicole rolled her eyes. "I'll tutor you."
Wynonna was just as shocked as Nicole. "You'll, what?"
——
Maybe it was a mistake, offering to tutor Nicole. Waverly was only trying to be a good person. She knew the redhead had something going for her, she just needed a little push.
But as much as Nicole stressed about wanting to graduate, she didn't seem to care as much now.
Waverly has spent the past hour trying to get Nicole to focus on anything other than shamelessly flirting with her.
"Don't you want to graduate? Or is failing part of your personality now?" Waverly glared.
Nicole rolled her eyes. "Fine."
Finally, she started paying attention. She'd listen to Waverly's words and write down what she felt she wouldn't remember. Waverly knew it was pointless to even try if Nicole didn't care but she couldn't just let her fail without helping.
Nicole was smart. Street and book. Waverly knew that. She knew the redhead just needed someone else to believe it, too. And she did.
She's seen Nicole's grades from before. Straight A's with all advanced classes was a hard thing to keep up with but somehow she did, juggling basketball on top of all of it.
Once she got kicked off the team, though. It's like something in her switched. She didn't care anymore. She didn't keep up with her friends, grades, classes, social interactions. Waverly was surprised she even hung out with Wynonna as much as she did.
"So, tell me something." Nicole prompted. Waverly raised an eyebrow. "Is that cheerleading uniform comfortable?"
Waverly sighed, smiling a fake smile to keep herself calm. "Why does it matter?"
Nicole shrugged. "I mean, don't get me wrong. It's cute. It just seems uncomfortable."
Waverly felt her face flush at Nicole's words.
"I like your regular clothes better, though." She pointed out.
"Are you done?" Waverly asked.
Nicole smirked. "Yup."
Waverly tried her best to focus on the work in front of her but once Nicole stopped talking, she got bored. It was unusual for her to not like doing homework. But she had questions and none of them were schoolwork related.
She tapped her foot annoyingly while sloppily writing down a few answers to her calculus questions.
"Will you stop that?" Nicole didn't look up from her paper.
"Stop what?"
"Tapping your foot."
Waverly's face flushed. She was really starting to hate her body for having these reactions.
"Okay." Waverly settled. "I have a question."
Nicole quirked an eyebrow, dropping her pencil on top of her latin book.
"Why'd you really get kicked off the team?"
"What have you heard?"
Waverly's mind flashed through dozens of rumors she'd heard that day. Nicole quit. She couldn't pass a drug test. She was cheating, so coach benched her.
"Rumors." Was all Waverly could answer.
Nicole shrugged. "Pick the best one and go with it. That's what everyone else does."
Waverly didn't push.
——
Nicole's little side business was finally starting to pick up. Wynonna's idea was a constant thought in the back of her head.
Selling something stronger would make her more money and if she wanted a car before it started getting too warm, she'd have to find a way to make more money. Considering her grades were dropping and she was barely attending school, she couldn't get an actual job. No place in Purgatory would hire her anyway.
She knew what people said. She heard the talk flooding around town. Nicole was a nobody now. A nobody with a bad reputation of selling drugs and hanging out with Wynonna Earp.
It was her fault. She knew it was. She didn't have to do what she was doing. There wasn't an excuse other than, she wanted to.
The hallways of Ghost River High were empty and quiet. Nicole loved the silence. No one was talking or yelling, the football players weren't running around, no one was bumping into her as she tried to get through the crowds.
The perfect place to do a drug deal.
Champ Hardy was dumb, purely stupid. He didn't know the different between good and bad weed and Nicole used that to her advantage. Charging him five dollars more for her worst strain.
He gladly handed the money over, though. He was only buying it for him and his friends to get a little high before a game. A stupid idea, Nicole thought. But she'd sell to him anyway. Because what he did in his free time wasn't her responsibility.
"I heard you're getting something stronger." He mumbled lowly. The halls echoed easily when no one was in it.
"How'd you hear that?"
"I have people." Was all he said before he darted off down the hallway.
Nicole wasn't expecting to see Waverly leaning up against the lockers a few feet in front of her. She would've never done the deal if she knew Waverly was watching.
She had respect, after all. Even if she didn't show it.
"You're selling at school?" Waverly was cute when she got mad.
"One time." Nicole pointed out. Because it had only been one time, this time. She'd never thought about doing it before. Never on school grounds, always in an empty parking lot outside of downtown.
"One time is all it takes to get you expelled, Nicole. God, I'm so stupid."
"What?"
Waverly rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she closed in on Nicole. "I thought you wanted to graduate. I thought tutoring you would help. I thought you wanted help."
Nicole furrowed her eyebrows. "Waverly-"
"You know what, Nicole? Sell your drugs, flunk out of school, don't graduate. I really don't care. You can't say I didn't try."
"Can you at least let me explain?"
"I don't need an explanation, I just watched you do it."
Heels clicked down the hallway and if Nicole was alone, she would've stayed where she was without a care in the world. But Waverly was here. Waverly, who had perfect grades, perfect attendence, a perfect reputation. Waverly, who everyone liked. Waverly, who couldn't be seen cutting class with Nicole Haught.
So, without thinking, she grabbed the shorter girls wrist and pulled her into the girls bathroom.
"What are you-"
"Shh!" Nicole widened her eyes, trying her best to listen into the hallway.
A girl Nicole didn't recognize walked out of one of the stalls. The judgemental look on her face would've made Nicole laugh in any other situation but she wasn't judging Nicole, she was judging Waverly. Because Waverly was with Nicole.
A sight to see, for sure.
Once the girl exited the bathroom, Nicole let out a breath. "I'd rather not have you getting caught with me right after I sold drugs to your ex boyfriend."
Waverly rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself, Nicole."
"Okay." Nicole nodded, annoyed. "Then, go ahead. Go walking through the hallway like you're not fifteen minutes late for class."
She knew Waverly was stubborn but she didn't actually expect her to leave. Nicole groaned and trailed behind her.
Which, turned out to be a mistake as they ran head first into Lucado. The one woman Nicole didn't want to see today.
The blonde checked her wristwatch, Nicole knew they were in trouble. She quirked an eyebrow as her eyes flicked between the two girls.
"Do I need an explanation?"
Nicole sighed. "I was using the bathroom." She tried.
Waverly scoffed next to her. "I didn't feel like going to class today."
Nicole's eyes practically fell out of the sockets.
Lucado crossed her arms. "Waverly, I know that's not true."
"It is." She smiled. "I really just didn't want to go and I heard the bathroom is the perfect place to skip."
The blonde was quiet for a few minutes, probably trying to figure out what to do.
"We have a no skipping policy. You both have detention this Friday."
"Friday?"
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"It's just, I kinda have a game on Friday." Waverly informed her. "Yanno, being a cheerleader and whatnot."
"Should've thought about that before you skipped."
So much for not getting detention, Nicole thought.